Some quick cards ...

Made a few quick cards with some pattern paper.  What I really wanted to do is use the Photo Finish Strips Die Collection from Papertrey Ink.  It coordinates with the Holiday Photo Finishers Stamp Set, which I have of course :)  However, I wanted to use it for other types of cards.

I didn't do anything fancy ... just picked some pattern paper from my stash ...

then die cut a couple of the dies on Neenah solar white paper, stamped a sentiment in the middle, and added a touch of Stickles to give it a bit of a shine.  I was going for something really simple.  However, I did add a butterfly on one of the cards ... it looked like something was missing.

Here's a close up of the dies ... I just love these dies!



Hello ...

Just popping in to say "Hi!"  Time seems to go by so quickly ... it's already been a few weeks since the holidays.  During my 2nd week off, worked on my brother's thank you cards ... there's a lot of layers ... I've already gone through 10 rolls of double-sided tape!  I have 2 things left to stick ... one being the picture, which my brother said he would try to get for Saturday.  I also need to get the envelopes and print them, so I'm not quite done yet.  But it's getting there :)

Haven't been making cards lately ... unless you count my brother's thank you cards ;)  As you can see from her website, Tiffany's was busy making Christmas cards.  Hubbie and I got an awesome New Year's card from her.  So, now Tiffany's looking to add a touch of embossing to her cards :)  Tiffany, are you referring to dry embossing?  Dry embossing has come a long way ... you don't need to trace the image using a light source and embossing stylus anymore.  Here's a video from YouTube showing you this technique:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liehXZ5Gth0&feature=related. 

Someone smart created embossing folders!  However, this requires a machine ... Cuttlebug (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUBiq5QX-6s&feature=related), Sizzix Big Shot (http://www.sizzix.com/), Epic Six (http://www.quickutz.com/qk2/epic/) ... these machines die cuts and embosses.  If you want a machine that just embosses, there's the Sizzix Texture Boutique.  However, I find the machine limiting and not really worth it.  I have the Sizzix Big Shot and love it ... I bought it for $89.99 and find it well worth it.  Also, you could put texture plates through it as well.  However, that would lead you to purchase dies.  Here's a video by Kristina Werner using an embossing folder and the Sizzix Big Shot:  http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/?p=7175

The other type of embossing, which is also what got me hooked on stamping uses a stamped image, ink, embossing powder and a heat gun :)  Here's another video by Kristina Werner showing this technique:   http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/?p=7170.  Initially, I did not buy a heat gun ... I used the heat from the stove, but you'll need to be careful holding your paper over the stove :)

Production continues ...

On Sunday, I started to work a bit on the thank you cards for my brother's wedding ... things were finalized on Saturday ... finally!  I'm still waiting for the pictures; but I know the size, so I was able to start production.  Yesterday, I was working on it in the family room ... today, I've gone back to The Paper Room ... yup room's starting to get messy again ;) 

The size and orientation of the picture is different from the initial sample, so I had to tweak the card a bit ... it added a bit more work, but I think it's nicer than the initial card ... seems more finished.  I'll share that with you once they've been sent out.  However, I can share the simple mini album which will be sent to our grand parents and great aunt.  The cool thing about this paper is depending on the way the light is reflecting off the paper, the colour changes.  It's actually the colour on the left, but I love that the lighting can change it to look burgundy.

2012 ...

Happy New Year!!  Wishing you all health, happiness and wonderful new experiences in the New Year! 

Can you believe it's 2012!?  Last year seem to fly by!  Before I knew it we were at the end of the year ... not that I'm complaining ... it meant vacation was coming :)  Been on vacation for a little over a week now, and it started with a road trip to Michaels ... something I needed to do ... not because I needed to do some shopping, but a short road trip is the quickest way for me to forget about work :) 

Speaking of crafts ... I did manage to do some crafting for the holidays ... it was actually a necessity.  Initially, we went to the Village des Magi-Prix to pick up a bag for a bottle of brandy.  They usually have nice bags at the one near our place ... only they're closing, so there wasn't much left.  Since I'm quite equiped, it was easier than running around looking for a bag and box.  I did the following quickly since we were due at my parent's place that evening.  The box fit 20 Lindt chocolates perfectly ... it's a die that I had and I decided to add a gold trim and emboss a piece of paper which also reinforced and made the box stronger.

I made another box with my snowflake embossing folder using the same papers for my brother and Holly's wedding.  As you can guess, that's for them.

I got to use the new Frosty Border die from Memory Box I got a couple of weeks ago for Mei Mei and Stephane's box.  The Memory Box dies are quite delicate and detailed ... really like them ... ain't it pretty?!

Here's the box ... yup, same paper as their wedding :)

Happy Holidays ...

Ho Ho Ho!!  Hope you all had a great Christmas!

We went to my mom's for dinner Christmas eve and attended the usual Christmas day dim sum with the family ... then enjoyed a quiet evening at home.  We don't have a tree, but Aunt T made a great suggestion for a "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree".  Aunt T, is this what you had in mind?  Strangely enough, I didn't have any difficulty figuring out what to use as decorations :)  The difficult part was taking the picture ... I was moving the antenna as hubbie was watching TV.



New Penny Black Inc. stamps ...

Here are the distractions from Penny Black Inc. that interrupted my playing time with my asian stamp sets from Dove of the East.  They're illustated by Mo Manning; I've seen her work from a stamping company called Stampingbella in the past ... however, for some reason these ones called out to me ... especially the 1st 2 :)



I started by stamping little elf Finn with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on solar white Neenah cardstock and colouring him with Copics markers, which was for me the quickest way to colour.

Plan was to use the Spellbinder Blossom Two Nestabilities below to have a shape in the background.  I had seen this video on YouTube showing you how to use these dies even if the image is bigger than the die.

I made a border with the next larger size in bronze metallic paper.  The rest of the image was "colour" with scrapbook paper ... basically, stamp the part of the image on the paper, cut and glued it.  Lastly, I put some white Fun Flock on the hat and top ... I don't know if you could see it well in the close up.

It's not finished yet as I still have to figure out what to do with the Christmas ornament ... I'd like to put a sentiment in there.

Card with Dove of the East stamps ...

After creating a background with my Papertrey Ink stamps, I thought doing the same with some of my many asian stamps would make nice cards.  I used a couple of stamps from one of my Dove of the East stamp sets.  Like the other cards, it started with a piece of white cardstock ... I ended up using some Distress inks since I found it too white ... so basically I stamped in red, then brown and then blended some colour into the background.

I'll need to get some cream colour envelopes since I don't want to colour the white envelopes I have :)  Besides, I don't think the colour will blend as easily on the envelopes.  I intend to make some more with other stamps, but I've been distracted by some new Penny Black Inc. stamps I got last weekend.  Then on Friday, I received my order from Papertrey Ink ... so many stamps, so little time ;)

BTW, when I woke up this morning, I sat on the couch and noticed this ... according to hubbie, FOX comes in a lot better :)

Hubbie's project ...

Last weekend, hubbie was working in the garage on a little project.  Using some hangers, a 2x4, copper wire, washers, etc ... he came up with this ... no, it's not some kind of art sculpture :)  Are you ready for this ... it's an antenna!  And you know what, it actually works :)  We're able to pick up a few more channels ... who needs cable ;) 

Being safety conscious, I didn't like that the ends of the wire were not covered.  I show hubbie that I could cover it ... came out of The Paper Room with a piece of black fun foam and glue dot ... here's a close up.  However, hubbie's going to buy some plastic covers to put at the end of the wire.  

BTW, this is a prototype, hubbie said the real one will look better.  I'll post a picture when he completes it.

Daydreamer stamp set ...

Got to play on the weekend with one of my Papertrey Ink stamp sets ... it's called Daydreamer.

I created a background using a few of the stamps from the set and Colorbox Chalk inks ... love these inks.  As you can see, I basically covered a white sheet of paper in a random pattern.

Then mounted the white cardstock on colour cardstock ... added a sentiment and there you have it.  I made a similar one with a different flower.  What do you think?  I think I'll make a bunch of these and make a card set.

Last team card for the year ...

Well, here's the last birthday card for the team ... my co-worker likes to bike, so I thought this stamp was appropriate.  Too bad he wasn't wearing a helmet ... that would have made it perfect ... HSE (Health, Safety & Environment) is important in our company.

I stamp the birthday background with Versamark ink ... I love this ink ... it basically makes what you stamp look like a watermark ... looks great on dark paper.  Here's a closer look at it ...



Another team birthday card ...

Finally got to use the Hero Arts Music Background stamp that came out in their 2010 Holiday Catalog.  I figured it would also work for birthdays too :)  Also, I really like the Papertrey Ink die from the Half & Half Die Collection ... it's really versatile and I'm having fun with them.  You'll probably be seeing them in more of my cards in the future.

Here's the card I came up with ...

Coffee time ...

Sorry for going MIA ... my boss was in town the last 2 weeks, so it's been rather busy.  I meant to share this last weekend but ... well, better late than never!

Hubbie and I went into Starbucks to pick up a coffee.  No, I haven't started drinking coffee ... hubbie got the coffee ... I got an empty coffee cup.  I got this idea to alter the coffee cup while we were in there for a friend's birthday.  I thought I could make it into a card somehow or something ... had not figured it all out at the time.  Here's the before and after pics ...

I ended up filling it up with Lindor Coffee Truffles ... hubbie loves these ... I didn't use all of it, so hubbie got a few :)

Now for the card ... I decided to base it on the bill for the coffee.  I also made a loyalty card where a full card would entitle my friend to a free lunch ... hubbie wanted to start getting his coffee at that place :)  Here's a picture of all 3 things.  What do you think?

Birthday wishes ...

Just a quick post to send some birthday wishes to a friend ...

Happy Birthday CHG!!

Wishing you a great day filled with lots of gifts, cake, and everything that you like ... pizza ... coffee :)

Hedgehog inspiration ...

Took a couple of days off ... and Monday's a holiday ... so nice long weekend :)  Here's a card for a co-worker ... thought of putting the birthday wishes in circles ... then thought I could somehow make the circles look like bubbles and use part of this Penny Black stamp. 

 

Then figure it would be easier to look for an image of bubbles and put the text in the bubble and print ... found quite a few images but decided to go with this colourful and feastive one.  Amazing what one can find on the internet!

After cutting the printed image to size to fit the card, I could see that it would have been better if the Happy Birthday was at the bottom instead ... oh well, it still looks ok.

Here's the inside of the card.  I spent more time with the inside of the card ... tweaking the bubbles, so they would be large enough to put birthday wishes in them.  I added the birthday wishes I received via email from co-workers.  I think I like the inside better.

Matching CD cover ...

Finally transferred the picture's from Mei Mei's wedding from my camera to a CD for her ... it only took a little over a month :)  Since I was playing in The Paper Room, I decided to make a CD cover for it ...

This resulted in a little clean up since hubbie had to connect his old laptop (now mine) to the printer.  I got rid of the really old tube monitor and the computer under my desk ... it made some room and actually looks cleaner ... and love that I have more room :)

Another birthday card ...

Here's a quick birthday card I put together ... sorry, it's not the best picture.  I took it quickly and didn't notice I was at an angle ... didn't feel like retaking it ... ok, was too lazy to retake it ;)

 

The plan was to use my Papertrey Ink die and I had the perfect sentiment ... just the right shape :)  I also got to use a stamp from an asian stamp set I got a few months ago.  I love asian stamps ... I'm always on the look out for new and different ones.

 

Another card for the team ...

Lucky for me, it seems to be 2 birthdays each month for my team ... which is good ... not sure I could manage more ... especially since I still have a few wedding things to complete.  However, I'm still waiting for the pictures before proceeding, so having a little break ... well sort of ... making bday cards :)

So here's the 2nd September birthday card for my team ...

Yup, using scrapbooking paper yet again!  Don't worry, unlike origami where I would make a box in every colour combination, I won't be making a card with every scrapbooking paper I have.  However, I should start thinking about the October birthdays before I end up using more scrapbooking paper ;) 

Oh and I got to use a stamp from one of my new Papertrey Ink stamp sets and die on this card ... I really love Papertrey Ink stamps and dies!  I've been thinking of placing another order :)

Posting for a year now ...

It's already been a year since I've started this blog!!  I can't believe it ... I guess what they say is true ... time goes by quickly when you're having fun :)

Of course another reason to celebrate last weekend ... it was Mei Mei's birthday!  Happy Birthday again Mei Mei :)  Here's the 1st card I made for her ... yup still playing with scrapbooking paper.  I liked the idea of the flowers on the bottom; however, the flowers were very large.  Therefore, this card turned out to be 9" x 12"!

I didn't really like it, so back to the drawing board.  Anyone need a big card :)  After going through my paper, I found the perfect paper with smaller flowers ... and dah dum ... a normal size card (6" x 6")!

 

Yup, using scrapbooking paper continues to inspire me.  However, finding the right one isn't always that easy ... but when you do, everything just falls into place :)